Scarlett Witch (Wanda Maximoff)
History : While I live... and until I die... I am an Avenger! '' : --' Scarlet Witch''' : : Early life Wanda Maximoff was kidnapped from Serbia and brought to Wundagore Mountain, base of the High Evolutionary, she and her twin brother, Pietro, were the children of Romany couple, Django and Marya Maximoff.11 The High Evolutionary supposedly abducted the twins when they were babies and experimented on them, once he was disgusted with the results, he returned them to Wundagore, disguised as regular mutants.15 As adolescents, Wanda and Pietro discovered that they had unusual superhuman abilities. When Django began to steal food to feed his starving family, enraged villagers attacked the Romani camp. Using his phenomenal speed, Pietro fled from the camp with his sister. The circumstances of their separation from their family were so traumatic that not until well into adulthood could they remember anything but the barest details of their childhood. For the next few years, Wanda and Pietro wandered central Europe, living off the land. Brotherhood of Evil Mutants They were later recruited into Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and, as the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, fought the X-Men on several occasions1617. At the time, none of the three were aware of the siblings' paternity. Avengers They soon abandoned their terrorist activities, while Magneto was imprisoned by the Stranger,18 and joined the Avengers. The remaining founding members had all gone on a leave of absence, leaving Captain America to lead an all-new lineup including Wanda, Pietro, and the archer known as Hawkeye19. By then, the Scarlet Witch would have rather become an actress, but she never had a chance to pursue such a career.20 They left the Avengers after the Scarlet Witch lost her powers and Quicksilver was shortly influenced by Magneto again.21 The Scarlet Witch then began a quest to recover her powers by studying grimoires, with Quicksilver and the Toad supporting her. Her studies accidentally summoned extra-dimensional caudillo Arkon, who kidnapped the Witch to made her his bride, the Toad when he opposed, and then a number of Earth-born scientists in an attempt to use atomic power to save his own world Polemachus even by destroying Earth. Quicksilver gained the help of the Avengers,22 the Avengers managed to save Polemachus without damaging Earth, Arkon ceased any further violence against Earth and renounced to the Scarlet Witch because she had convinced him of the importance of small things. Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch then resumed their membership with the Avengers.23 The Toad chose to remain at Polemachus.24 Not long after the birth of Quicksilver's first child, Wanda and Pietro Wanda learned a secret about their parentage, that Magneto was allegedly their true father. Although she became more adept in her power's use, Wanda did not realize that she was tapping into genuine magic. It was believed that the Scarlet Witch would have been an ordinary energy manipulator or perhaps simply able to cause bad luck if not due to Chthon's attempt to use her as a pawn. Wanda fell in love with the synthezoid Vision, an artificial being created by Avengers foe Ultron who joined the team rather than fight them. The Scarlet Witch eventually married her teammate, the android Vision, not realizing that they were being manipulated by Immortus, who sought to prevent Wanda from having a child (Wanda was actually a key figure, or nexus being, to her reality, and her children would have power to shake the foundations of the universe).26 Wanda eventually drew on magic energy to give birth to twin sons, Tommy & Billy, but this energy was eventually revealed to have come from the demon Mephisto, who reabsorbed them, effectively ending their existence. Wanda had also reanimated her deceased mentor, Agatha Harkness, through whom she cast a spell to make her forget her children in order to ease her pain.27 Though Wanda later recalled her loss5, she suppressed this memory over the long term.28 After his reformation, The Vision and Wanda no longer shared the closeness they once had. While both were serving as members of the Avengers West Coast, Wanda also grew to love Wonder Man, the man whose brain patterns had been used to form the Vision's mind. Both were among the former AWC members who opted to form Force Works after the team's dissolution. As the leader of this new team, Wanda used a 'hex mainframe' computer designed by Iron Man. Through her powers and the computer's calculations, they could proactively determine where the team was most needed rather than react to an alarm or breaking news. Although Wanda was appointed team leader, she often clashed with Iron Man overriding her orders. She was deeply saddened by Wonder Man's death on the first mission of Force Works. After rejoining the Avengers, she used her increased powers to resurrect him, although his ionic energy likely made him able to be restored. For some time, Wonder Man was mostly a cloud of ionic energy that Wanda had to summon.29 Training with Agatha Harkness increased Wanda's control of her 'Chaos Magic'. Even after Agatha died her astral form continued to assist Wanda. However, at least some of this training may have been an illusion made by Wanda herself.30 In years after, Wanda remained in her role as a longtime Avengers mainstay, salvaging her relationship with the Vision as best she could - although sparks also appeared with Captain America towards the end of her Avengers tenure - the moment she brought the team to its lowest moment ever recorded.31 The Scarlet Witch seemingly gained powerful reality-altering abilities from "Chaos Magic"; however, this proved to be an uncontrolled aspect of her mutant power and created a great mental strain on her. An unintentional remark by teammate Wasp about Wanda's lost children apparently drove her over the edge. She suffered a nervous breakdown and lashed out with her new power, subjecting the Avengers to a savage assault and apparently killing Agatha Harkness and some of her teammates. Others were injured or affected by various odd outbursts and incidents. The remaining Avengers gathered including a number of reservists. : Doctor Strange appeared, sensing abuse of magic, and angry that he had not been notified of Wanda's recent problems. Strange was forced to use the Eye of Agamotto on Wanda, which apparently showed her a memory so horrible she went into a catatonic state. Magneto suddenly appeared to collect his daughter, and brought her to Genosha so Professor X could help her.32 House of M Unfortunately, Xavier was unable to do so as Wanda attempted to restore her husband to life and undo the damage she had caused. Keeping Wanda in a comatose state, Xavier ultimately called a meeting between the Avengers and X-Men to decide whether or not Wanda should be killed. Quicksilver was horrified at the fact that Xavier seriously considered killing Wanda and convinced Wanda to take desperate action to keep this from happening: By using her powers, Wanda warped reality into the House of M, a world where mutants were the majority, humans the minority, and Magneto the ruler (simultaneously giving various other heroes what they wanted most, hoping this would prevent them rebelling). In this reality, Wanda was believed to be a human, due to an alternate body she created to represent her in public while she cared for her children in private. A young mutant named Layla Miller (a deformed mutant who was given a normal body thanks to Wanda's reality warp) was able to use her mutant abilities to restore several of the heroes' memories. Meanwhile Wolverine (the only person who sensed the reality's "wrongness") and a resurrected Hawkeye (who had been seemingly killed during Wanda's breakdown) and Cloak gathered these heroes into an assault force to try to restore reality. This rag-tag army headed to Genosha to attack Magneto, believing him to be the one responsible for the change. During the battle between Magneto's forces and the others, Layla was able to restore Magneto's memories; as well, Wanda confessed to Dr. Strange that it was Quicksilver, not Magneto, who had initiated the reality warp. : Enraged, Magneto confronted Quicksilver, angry that Quicksilver had done all of this in his name. Quicksilver told Magneto that he would have let Wanda die. Magneto replied that Quicksilver had only used him and Wanda. He then killed Quicksilver.33 Wanda revived her brother, telling Magneto that Quicksilver had only wanted him to be happy and that Magneto had ruined them, choosing the mutants over his own children. She further denounced Xavier and in three words ("No more mutants") Wanda changed the world back to its original form but added the mass de-powering of 90% of the entire mutant population, thus being responsible for many deaths.34 Surviving mutants and ex-mutants referred to this as "M-Day: The worst day in mutant history."35 Post-House of M After the fallout, the resurrected Hawkeye/Clint Barton tracked Wanda to a small village near Wundagore Mountain, where he unknowingly saved her from a thief. Wanda was living in a small apartment with her only relative, her "Aunt Agatha" (who was never seen, but could possibly have been a manifestation of Wanda's now-dead mentor Agatha Harkness; Wanda also mentioned this to Beast, saying she was stuck out here for purposes of looking after an "elderly relative" who would worry if she got home late, indicating that this Aunt indeed existed in some form). She appeared to be powerless and believed that she had lived her entire life in the village. She did not recognize Hawkeye, nor did she remember her life with the Avengers or other events. Wanda told Hawkeye that he was her "hero" for dealing a thief and kissed him, and they spent the night together. The following morning, while Wanda was sleeping, Hawkeye became curious about the next room where "Aunt Agatha" was supposedly sleeping, but the doorknob appeared to shift away from his hands, a subtle reality manipulation usually associated with the Scarlet Witch. However, Clint looked back to see that Wanda was still asleep.36 The mutant Beast later found Wanda at the same village and sought her help to deal with the aftermath of M-Day. She had no memory of him either, and claimed that she did not believe in magic.37 The Young Avengers Wiccan and Speed decided to find Wanda, as Wiccan wanted to know once and for all if she was indeed their mother. They traveled to several places connected to Wanda and themselves in their search, but Wiccan was unable to detect any sign of Wanda's magic. Wiccan and Speed united to search for her around the planet, but both ultimately failed, though they were told by Master Pandemonium that they had to cease their quest to seek her, lest risk unleashing the darkness of the Witch's past yet again.38 Later, the Asgardian god Loki, concealed in an astral form by simple spells and illusions, disguised herself as Wanda and assembled a new team of Mighty Avengers to be led by Hank Pym to oppose the demon Chthon. Chthon was eventually banished back to his own dimension, and his human vessel Quicksilver was released from his control. Loki's goal was to prevent another god of chaos from laying siege to the Nine Worlds and cracking Norman Osborn's armor to quicken his fall. She continued to assemble the Mighty Avengers, who remained unaware of Loki's involvement.39 None were aware that the true Wanda had yet to reemerge from seclusion, as only Clint Barton, Beast and higher powers than they, such as the Living Tribunal or Uatu knew of her status. Quicksilver, having joined the Mighty Avengers, sought to use his position on the team to find her, a desire not missed by the impassive Loki. Pym also wanted to use Pietro in turn to solve the mysterious return of Wanda Maximoff.40 Agamotto later detected her presence and displays her as one of thirty possible candidates for the role of Sorcerer Supreme through his Eye, but due to her apparent lack of magic and past instability refrained from selecting her, instead choosing Brother Voodoo to fill the position. : The Children's Crusade Wanda was found in Latveria by her alleged son Wiccan. She seemingly lost all her memories and powers and engaged to Victor von Doom. Billy told her about who she was, and what she did. He also told her about her twin sons, and almost told about his suspicions that he and Tommy Shepherd are actually her reincarnated sons. His story was interrupted by the battle between the Avengers, the Young Avengers, Magneto and Doctor Doom. Wolverine tried to kill Wanda, but was stopped by Iron Lad, who teleported the Young Avengers and Wanda into the timestream. 42 They all went into the past, and met reanimated Jack of Hearts, who exploded. After that Wanda remembered who she is, and regained her powers and returned herself, the Young Avengers and Scott Lang into the present.43 She then finally confirmed that Billy and Tommy are indeed her reincarnated sons.14 Realizing that her sons are alive Wanda met with X-Factor and re-powered Rictor, planning to restore powers of all de-powered mutants who wants it.44 It was revealed that Wanda's ability was brought about when Doctor Doom assisted her in becoming a conduit for Life Force itself, in an effort to recreate her children. The power was too great for her to control, leading to her breakdown. Doom stole Wanda's power and became omnipotent, but while battling the Avengers and the X-Men, his powers overloaded, leaving him with his scarred face again and powerless, unable to continue the battle, he teleported himself away. The X-Men agreed to leave her be, Magneto and Quicksilver both wished to spend time with her as a family and Captain America offered her a spot in the Avengers but Wanda declined saying she needed to be alone. 45 Avengers vs. X-Men Wanda played a key role during the events featured in AvX. After defeating both M.O.D.O.K. and A.I.M with the help of Ms. Marvel and Spider-Woman, she visited the Avengers' Mansion but was not welcomed by Vision. She then began to have visions of the Phoenix Force; and during one of those visions, she foresaw a future in which the Phoenix killed the original Avengers.46 Believing the Mutant Messiah to be the key to defeating the Phoenix Five, which consisted of the Phoenix Avatars Cyclops, Emma, Namor, Magik and Colossus, the Avengers launched an operation to extract Hope from Utopia. If it wasn't for Wanda, they would have been defeated by Cyclops. Wanda convinced Hope to go with the Avengers, as Cyclops vowed that he would no longer tolerate the Avengers.47 After a confrontation between the Avengers and the Phoenix Five, in which Wanda defeated Magik, she began to train Hope with Spider-Man's help on Wakanda, but the Phoenix Five decided to take Hope back with them. Hope revealed that Wanda was the only Avenger the X-Men feared and respected. Doctor Strange gave Amulets of Illusion to different Avengers to make them appear as Wanda when she wasn't present, in hopes of scaring the Phoenix Five. It worked to a degree and bought the other Avengers time to complete missions across the globe. The Phoenix Five began to suspect the many-Wandas were an illusion, so Namor decided to attack one of them. Much to his disappointment, she was the real Scarlet Witch and she defeated him. Namor then led the Atlanteans into war against Wakanda, and nearly defeated all of the Avengers, until Wanda showed up and defeated him. Meanwhile Iron Fist had taken Hope and Wolverine to K'un-Lun to hide and prepare for a confrontation with the Phoenix Five. When Cyclops learned of their location, he decided to travel there and take Hope back with him, but Hope used Wanda's and Shao Lao the dragon's power to send him to the Moon. After a brief confrontation between Hope and Wanda, which was stopped by Captain America, the Avengers came to realize Cyclops had become the sole-wielder of the Phoenix Force. Cyclops took the title Dark Phoenix after killing Professor X.49 The Dark Phoenix began to burn the world so Wanda and Hope decided to join forces in order to stop him. Together, they managed to take down Dark Phoenix. The Phoenix escaped Cyclops's body and entered Hope's. Hope used its power to reverse the damage and destruction caused by Dark Phoenix and restore the mutant population. Then, as Wanda had once used her powers to wish away mutants by uttering the words, "No more mutants," Wanda and Hope joined their powers and wished, "No more Phoenix." It is unknown if Phoenix was destroyed or merely banished from the Earth by the spell. : Uncanny Avengers While visiting Charles Xavier's grave, Wanda was approached by Rogue who tried to make her leave. The two wound up fighting, when they were captured by the Red Skull. The Red Skull also took Xaviers corpse and cut out his brain, claiming his vast telepathic powers for himself.51 The Red Skull then used his powers to brainwash Wanda into helping him de-power mutantkind once again. While tracking down Rogue who had escaped his custody, Wanda encountered Xavier's corpse which snapped her out of the Skull's control.52 Scarlet Witch and Rogue were mentally controlled into allowing being executed by the mentally-controlled mutant-hating crowd Red Skull gathered, but snapped back once the Avengers Unity Division appeared to fight Shmidt.53 After Red Skull and his S-Men escaped, Wanda and Rogue joined the Avengers Unity Division.54 During a mission involving the Apocalypse Twins, Wanda is killed Rogue who thought she had betrayed the team. 55 Her death was undone when Havok and the surviving members of the Unity Squad were sent from the future by Kang to stop the twins from destroying Earth, their minds projected back into their past selves so that they could transfer most of their powers to Rogue and give her the strength to fight back.56 After the crisis was over, Rogue was in the process of being driven mad by all the heroes Rogue had absorbed. The Scarlet Witch cast a spell to return those powers to their owners, although Rogue still retained the powers and the very essence she absorbed from Wonder Man.57 AXIS Months after the battle against the Twins, Wanda, Rogue and Alex were abducted by Red Skull's S-Men and taken to his reeducation camps in Genosha. After escaping, they encountered Magneto also trapped in there, they broke him free and confronted the Red Skull and the S-Men.58 Fueled by MGH, Magneto killed the S-Men, and beat the Red Skull to death, accidentally unleashing the Red Onslaught, the merging of the Skull's with the dark and powerful Onslaught.59 They were soon aided by the Avengers, X-Men, and allies of both teams, who arrived to Genosha upon learning about the Red Onslaught's existence. However, the Red Onslaught deployed their own version of the Sentinels made specifically to battle heroes.60 In the ensuing battle against the Sentinels, the Scarlet Witch was neutralized along with numerous other heroes.61 After being broken free by a group of super villains gathered by Magneto to fight the Sentinels, Wanda and Doctor Doom performed a spell to invert the moral compass of the Red Skull in order to defeat him. The spell worked and the Red Onslaught was defeated, but the spell also accidentally affected everyone in Genosha, turning heroes into villains and vice versa.62 Under the influence of the inversion spell, the Scarlet Witch set out to kill Doctor Doom in revenge for his manipulations.63 Magneto and Quicksilver joined forces to prevent Wanda from crossing the line, but failed.64 Using a spell meant to affect those with blood ties to her, Wanda seemingly killed Quicksilver. To her surprise, the spell didn't affect Magneto, revealing that the Master of Magnetism wasn't actually her father.6 Doom briefly fled from the fight, to bring back Doctor Voodoo, who used the spirit of his brother Daniel to possess Wanda so she could "cooperate" in the conjuration of a reinversion spell, which successfully brought almost everyone back to normal, including the Scarlet Witch. In the wake of the conflict, the Avengers Unity Division was reassembled.7 Post-AXIS Wanda and Pietro returned to the Wundagore Mountain to find out their true parentage, and they were brought to the reformed Counter-Earth, which the High Evolutionary used to test and try to create his perfect New Men.65 The twins encountered the Low Evolutionary, the leader of a resistance formed by the High Evolutionary's rejects.12 After being tracked down and defeated by Luminous, a new creation by the High Evolutionary with both Quicksilver's and Scarlet Witch's powers, Wanda and Pietro were brought to the High Evolutionary himself.66 He revealed them that Django and Marya Maximoff were their true parents, as well as the truth that the twins were supposedly not mutants but they had been experimented on by the High Evolutionary. After escaping from the Evolutionary's experimentation's, Pietro and Wanda located the Avengers Unity Division, who had travelled to the Counter-Earth looking for the twins, and helped the inhabitants of Lowtown, a refuge for the High Evolutionary's rejects, from their creator's assault.15 After the High Evolutionary was forced to flee through a portal once he was defeated, the Unity Division returned to Earth. ::